you tried to give russia a chance, too. you said some encouraging things about putin early on in your term. >> i did? >> i know you came to change your view a bit. did you misjudge him early or were you just trying to open the door? >> i think he changed. of course presidents should open the door and give people a chance, except for the despicable tyrants. at that time it looked like he wanted to work with the west. my first conversation i had with him, we were discussing soviet era debt that saddled the russian federation. he was opening dialogue. then the price of oil went up. and vladimir putin changed. he became, you know, he began to suspend the press. not suspend, eliminate the independent press. >> you think it was tied to the money coming in. >> i think it changed his attitude. i think it emboldened him to follow an instinct that is pretty much zero sum, you know? i win, you lose, and vice versa. i tried to convince him, i'm sure the president has, that we both should win. by both nations doing well, our people do w